The changing face of the historic Jewellery Quarter is continuing to speed up with a series of urbanistic renovations. The main purpose of these projects, like the plans for St. Paul’s Quarter or the Lamp Work, is to give people more reasons to live and work here. Fifty years ago, the Jewellery Quarter was an industrial area, but now that some of its factories are closed, both institutions and private organisations, such as The Townscape Heritage and Black Swan Properties, are bringing these important historic buildings back to life in order to offer more job opportunities, flats to rent and places to socialise.
Let’s see now how these urbanist projects will transform the Jewellery Quarter over the next five years into an even more attractive, modern and unique area of Birmingham.
1. Northwood Street:
How St Paul’s Quarter will look from James Street
Apsley House Capital, in collaboration with its joint venture partner Galliard Homes, has finalised a deal to acquire the three-acre AE Harris site on Northwood Street. The joint venture team is planning a £125m mixed-use scheme of more than 320 new apartments, including lofts and duplexes, and about 100,000 sq ft of commercial space. With these plans for the latest site, the combined Gross Development Value (GDV) of all recent investments in Birmingham has the potential to total £500 million. The project, which has been designed by Birmingham practice Glenn Howells Architects, will comprise 20 individual buildings of between two and five storeys. Robin Norstrom, director of Apsley House Capital said, “We believe it is the best site in the best location in Birmingham city centre, and we are fully aware of our responsibility in maintaining the historic buildings and making sure new buildings and tenants add value to the area. This is a wonderful opportunity to create something really special which is full of character and complements the surrounding area.” The development, called St Paul’s Quarter, is expected to take five years to complete.
2. Alben Works:
Alben Works, Legge Lane
Alben Works takes its name from the Alben Safety Razor which was manufactured on the site before the Second World War. The factory situated at 1-2 Legge Lane have been empty since 2015. Liv Property is behind the project to regenerate Legge Lane by demolishing the dilapidated former factory and replacing it with townhouses and live/work units. Maria Sjölander, director of Leamington Spa-based Liv Property, said, “In formulating the proposals for the redevelopment of Alben Works, we have created a vibrant and well-designed addition to the Jewellery Quarter which will provide a balance of different uses for both living and working on the site and continue the regeneration of Legge Lane.”
3. Jewellery Quarter Townscape Heritage programme:
The Argent Centre in Frederick Street
The Townscape Heritage (TH) programme is a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) scheme which wants to regenerate the area of the Jewellery Quarter to halt and even reverse the decline of the historic townscape by creating attractive, vibrant and interesting places where people will want to live, work and invest. In total £1.8 million grant funding will be used to support building improvement works and heritage activity focusing on an area labelled as the ‘Industrial Middle’ which forms part of the Jewellery Quarter Conservation Area. The JQTH area includes Vittoria, Regent, Albion and the Argent Centre, a complex of small office units and home of the Pen Museum at 60 Frederick Street. Vanessa Harbar, head of Heritage Lottery Fund in the West Midlands, added, “This is excellent news for Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, whose Industrial Middle contains one of the highest concentrations of derelict buildings in the city centre. Now, thanks to National Lottery players, this investment will enable and inspire property owners and volunteers to bring these important historic buildings back into life and back into use.” The project will run for three years from 2018 until 2021.
4. The Hockley Mills Project:
CGI shows the railside section of the revised Hockley Mills plans
Hockley Mills is an exciting new mixed-use development proposed by Black Swan Properties and designed by Glancy Nicholls Architects for the Jewellery Quarter. The £110 million project, called Hockley Mills, will redevelop four acres of land next to the quarter’s railway station into a new complex with more than 400 apartments, offices and retail units. There will also be a new entrance and ticket office for the station. The overall development will comprise six connected buildings containing the flats while a seventh block will provide the office space. The project is expected to be completed in five years.
5. The Lamp Works:
Great Hampton Street
The Lamp Works will see a series of buildings bounded by Great Hampton Street and Barr Street either demolished or renovated to create 53 one-bedroom, 66 two-bedroom and 17 three-bedrooms apartments. There will also be 20 parking spaces and a secure cycle area, with all flats available to rent only. Currently in the design phase, the plan includes also the construction of restaurants, bars and live music venues on the ground floors and basement, with the upper floors dedicated to commercial space and residential accommodation. Richard Whitehouse, development director with Blackswan Property, said, “As part of the development, we will be retaining the skeleton of one of the buildings which will ensure a sense of history is retained through its form and decayed materials.” The development has been designed by BPN Architects, also based in the Jewellery Quarter.
The Jewellery Quarter is recognised by English Heritage as having a “unique historic environment…of international importance.” From the 5 projects we examined, it is clear that the Jewellery Quarter is living an important phase of transformation that will make the area even more attractive and vibrant whilst still retaining its unique charm.
